Vote Now! Top Space Stories of the Week - Nov. 25, 2012

Thanksgiving in Space, A Super-Jupiter and Caves on Mars

Last week we celebrated Thanksgiving in space, caves on Mars and a Jupiter that's 13 times larger than ours. See the top stories of the last week here.<br>
<p>FIRST STOP: Huge Mars Colony Eyed by SpaceX Founder Elon Musk

Mars Mystery: Has Curiosity Rover Made Big Discovery?

NASA's Mars rover Curiosity has apparently made an important discovery "for the history books," but we'll have to wait a few weeks to find out what the new Red Planet find may be, media reports suggest. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18565-mars-rover-curiosity-discovery-mystery.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Super-Earths Get Magnetic 'Shield'

Super-Earths Get Magnetic 'Shield' from Liquid Metal

A new study reveals that a strange form of liquid magnesium can exist inside so-called super-Earth planets, and could affect theories on the liquid metal cores of planets, scientists say. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18604-super-earth-planets-liquid-metal.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT: Thanksgiving in Space

NASA Astronaut Celebrates Thanksgiving in Space

Many Americans will take time to mark the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday today, but there’s only one American with a truly out-of-this world turkey dinner. NASA astronaut Kevin Ford, the new commander of the International Space Station, is the only American in space. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18589-thanksgiving-space-nasa-astronaut.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto Lacks Atmosphere

Dwarf Planet Beyond Pluto Lacks Atmosphere

The best look yet at a distant icy sibling of Pluto is revealing secrets about its atmosphere or lack thereof, researchers say. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18583-dwarf-planet-makemake-atmosphere.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Mysterious Military Space Plane Launch Delay

New Delay for Mysterious Military Space Plane Launch

The next launch of the U.S. Air Force's X-37B space plane, a robotic spacecraft used to fly classified payloads into Earth orbit, has been delayed until Dec. 11 pending final approvals, SPACE.com has learned. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18592-secretive-x37b-space-plane-delay.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Water on Mars and Earth Had Similar Origins

Water on Mars and Earth Had Similar Origins

The Earth's oceans and the water that once flowed on Mars likely came from a similar source: meteorites that landed on the planets when they were first forming, new research suggests. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18571-mars-water-formation-earth.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Private Moon Race May Spark Lunar 'Water Rush'

Private Moon Race May Spark Lunar 'Water Rush'

A private race to the moon may kick off a lunar "water rush" that helps humanity explore asteroids, Mars and other deep-space destinations, some scientists say. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18549-moon-water-private-spaceflight.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
NASA Outpost Beyond Moon Could Lead to Mars

NASA Outpost Beyond Moon Could Lead to Mars

Sending humans to a “parking lot” in space beyond the moon’s far side would help pave the way for more ambitious manned missions to Mars, researchers say. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18550-nasa-moon-outpost-mars.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
Mars Cave-Exploration Mission Entices Scientists

Mars Cave-Exploration Mission Entices Scientists

NASA is mapping out a strategy to return bits of rock and soil from the Martian surface to Earth, but the most interesting Red Planet samples probably lie in underground caverns, some scientists say. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18546-mars-caves-sample-return-mission.html>Full Story</a>]
<p>NEXT:
'Super-Jupiter' Discovery Dwarfs Solar System's Largest Planet

'Super-Jupiter' Discovery Dwarfs Solar System's Largest Planet

In a rare direct photo of a world beyond Earth, astronomers have spotted a planet 13 times more massive than our own solar system's Jupiter. [<a href=http://www.space.com/18522-super-jupiter-alien-planet-photo.html>Full Story</a>]